The 2023 season for the Wisconsin TimberRattlers has arrived. In advance of their season opening game at Beloit Friday night, the TimberRattlers held their Fan Fest at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Wednesday, conducting a brief scrimmage on a cool, windy day for several hundred fans.
The team finished 69-60 last year and Manager Joe Ayrault returns for his second season with the club. The roster for the Milwaukee Brewers High A affiliate includes several top prospects. 2022 first round draft choice Eric Brown Jr. will be the team’s starting shortstop and former Arkansas Razorback Robert Moore will open at second base. 2018 second round pick Joe Gray Jr. returns in the outfield with 2021 second rounder Russell Smith on the pitching staff. Jo Hernandez, acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the off-season will be the opening day pitcher.
With plenty of new faces on the field, there’s also a new look to the stadium. The organization invested in a multi-million dollar renovation over the winter that is nearly complete. The left field area will have three open air suites that can hold up to 20 fans each or be combined for a group of 60. A concourse will allow fans to walk around the entire outfield which will feature a reconstructed fence with improved padding. The highlight attraction is still on the way. A 30 foot tower in the left field corner will eventually be home to a huge slide for kids, similar to Bernie Brewer’s home run slide at American Family Field. Team President and CEO Rob Zerjav says the slide is on order and they hope to have it in place by mid to late May.
The club also expanded team facilities behind the first base dugout. That features a brand new clubhouse, a new weight room, training room, two indoor batting cages, a dining area and players lounge. A small, fenced in training field just outside the weight room is also in the works. Zerjav said they want to ensure the best experience possible for their players.
The TimberRattlers new, circular locker room.
Full length, indoor batting cages.
A view of new player’s lounge with ping pong, shuffleboard, kitchen and big screen TV’s.
Returning catcher Darrien Miller said when he walked in to the new facility this week, it was the best clubhouse he’s ever seen.
The TimberRattlers will host Peoria in their home opener next Tuesday.
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